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ELT1130 ROBOTICS 1
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES
Anatomy of a Robot
Nature provides the inspiration for robots and robotic
systems. Whether it is a human form, another animal, an
insect, or even a plant, we derive many robotic forms from
what we observe around us. Incorporating systems and
subsystems modeled after what we observe in nature allows
us to produce effective robots using desirable qualities from
several different sources. For example, we could design a
robot that can walk like a spider, but also have the ability to
locate objects without light, like a bat.
Design Considerations
How a robot is controlled has a bearing on what it will look like. Stationary robots can be
anchored to the ground while robots that have to move need to be stable while
completing its task.
Tethered, Remote, and Autonomous Control
The decision on which type of control system to use depends on budget, whether the
robot has to move, and the environment it will work in. In the case of bomb recovery
robots used by law enforcement and the military, the operator would not want to be
anywhere near the robot while it is performing a recovery. Similarly, robots used to build
cars can be stationary and be hard wired to the control system.
Tethered Control :
A tethered robot is
direct wired to its
control system. The
control system can
be a computer, a
microcontroller, or an
operator controlling
the robot through
joysticks. The
advantage of this
type of system is that
either the robot or
the control system
can be saved while the other system is replaced. The actual robot would not
have to protect the control system as this can be housed in a safer location. In
nuclear power plants, robots are used to remove old fuel rods and load new rods
into the reactor. This environment is highly radioactive. Since the control system
is away from the dangerous environment, it won’t be affected by the radiation. A
large number of the automobile assembly robots are tethered and connected to a
master control system. This allows the feedback from one robot to control
another robot if there is a problem. Also, tethered robots can be much more
powerful since a large power cable can be connected to the robot allowing it to
complete much heavier lifting and manipulating tasks.
Remote Control:
Autonomous Control:
Autonomous robots are totally self-contained. They are designed to interact with
their environment on their own to complete the task. These robots contain
everything they need to perform their task. They would have the movement
system, power system, and information processing ability built in. There are
robots that can interact with their environment without having some sort of
processor (brain).
These have the
robot react directly
to a sensor signal.
In order to
customize robot
behavior,
processing signals
from sensors
through a device
such as a
microcontroller
enable the behavior
of the robot to be
easily adjusted
through
programming.
Sensors in a robot act just like our senses do. They bring in information from the
outside world for the processor to make decisions from. Autonomous robots are
designed to work in environments that do not allow them to be tethered. One
such example is the Martian rover. It is given instructions from a command centre
on earth, but it must adjust its solar panels to keep them pointed to the sun on its
own. If it cannot do this on its own it would die since instructions from earth would
take too long to get to it to keep the panels pointed at the sun.
Robot Structure
In many cases the size of the robot can be determined by the robot designer and
built to the size necessary to contain the components needed to perform the job
the robot has to do. The size of sub-systems such as controller,
pneumatics/hydraulics, drive system, and manipulators will determine size to a
large extent. The strength of the materials used to build the robot must match the
task it has to perform. If small or weak materials are used, then the robot will fail
with use. Generally when engineering a robot, we want to design it stronger than
what we need to prevent failure. The size of the working components will
determine the overall size of the robot. During the design process, the decision
on the part size to use
will have a bearing on
your overall size.
Material choice:
There are many choices of material that can be used for components of the
robot. The amount of strength required for a task will determine what can be
used.
Metals:
Power Systems
There are several means to supply power to the robot. In ancient times, the first
robots were powered by steam and water. This meant that the robots would have
to be stationary to be near a water source, or large and unwieldy to contain the
boiler necessary to create the steam. More modern solutions have enabled the
size of robots to shrink since they no longer have to rely on the large size of the
older power units.
Batteries: The most common way to power a robot is with batteries. Batteries can
be broken down into two groups: disposable and
rechargeable.
Pneumatic systems:
Hydraulic systems:
Solar cells:
Fuel cells:
Locomotion Systems
Legs: Legs are extremely difficult to use as conveyance. The robot has to
balance as well as coordinate all of the parts necessary to move. This becomes
Flippers: There are new robots being developed that mimic nature in the use of
flippers for movement. These
have been found to be more
efficient than propellers and
create less turbulence. Robots
using this method of propulsion
are used in underwater
applications where the robot is
taking video and the silt churned
up by propellers would make the
images useless.
Gripping and Grabbing Systems
Sensory Devices
Sensors for robots mimic our senses. They are designed to sense light,
temperature, pressure, speed, acceleration, tilt, position in the world, and just
about anything you could imagine. Sensors take in information for the robot
processor to use and react to. A lot of sensors were developed for specific
industry uses, and then it was found these would be perfect for applications
where a robot could use the information from the sensor to interact in the
environment. Information sent
back by sensors can be
processed by the robot to decide
what to do. Just like we react to
our environment, sensors allow
the robot to sense its environment
and then react accordingly.
Robots have been developed that
can be sent in to areas where
deadly gasses may be present
and send signals indicating if that
area is safe for human entry or
not. One of the most simple
sensors is a momentary contact
switch. When the switch is
pressed, it sends a signal to the
robot processor. The program in
the robot will receive this signal
and then have the robot react to it
in some way.
Output Devices
Processing Ability
The ability of a robot to interact with its environment depends on the power of the
processor. The intelligence of a robot will determine the complexity of tasks it will
be able to accomplish.